When Life Feels Like a Race...

Slow Down and Savor what Matters.

 

This poem.  A reminder to me that each day is a gift.

Slow the Moments and Savor the Journey...

 

 

"Have you ever watched Kids,

On a Merry-Go-Round?

Or listened to the rain,

Slapping on the Ground?

 

 

 

 

Ever followed a Butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the Sun into the fading night?

 

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance too fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

 

Do you run through each day,

On the fly?

When you ask: How are you?

Do you hear the reply?

 

 

 

 

When the day is done, Do you lie in your bed,

With the next hundred chores, Running through your head?

 

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance too fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

 

Ever told your child,

We'll do it tomorrow?

And in your haste,

Not see his sorrow?

 

 

 

 

Ever lost touch, Let a good friendship die,

Cause you never had time, To call and say Hi?

 

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

 

When you run so fast to get somewhere,

You miss half the fun of getting there.

 

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift thrown away.

 

 

 

 

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower.

Hear the music,

Before the song is over."

 

                   ~ Timothy Ferriss  

Our First Gathering at the Lake...

Raw. Primitive. And Hot. Very, very Hot.

But...

So. Much. Fun!!!

Our first gathering at the lake for the bravest in the family.  To be honest it was something of a logistical nightmare...no running water, no bathroom, no electricity.  Truly? And they came anyway???

Yes.  (heart smile)

 And we spent the entire day dreaming dreams, planning the perfect spot for a driveway, the shop and our cabin, wrestling thorny locust trees from said perfect spots, hiking the woods, tail-gate grilling, creekbank fishing...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A day for filling up

on the Goodness of Grace...

Happy 4th of July!

Praying your Independence Day has been

sweetly filled with the gifts of freedom...

 

 

This beautiful picture has been making the rounds on Facebook

and I just found it so perfectly fitting to share today...

 

Photo Credit to Earl Dibbles Jr for one of the most

gloriously patriotic sunsets I've ever seen.

 

Grace and Blessings,

My Love, Jane

 

 

Land Hunt... Treasure Found!

Here's our current State of the Union Address...

It's been 6 months since we packed up the farm and said goodbye to dirt roads, goat baby snuggles and quiet walks in the woods.

We have been on an exciting, roller-coaster journey ever since... many have followed the Hunt through thick and thin!  Lots of places to see and explore, miles of roads to cover with an abundance of pros and cons to weigh... to be honest, there were days when I tearfully feared we had made a huge mistake.  I desparately longed for the safety of our tree-lined drive and wanted nothing more than to head back home...

 

Our lowest point of the hunt was back earlier this spring.  Despite a torn rotator cuff, we spent the day with our realtor and found a place that whispered home to our hearts.

 

It was the last stop of the day and we fell in love.

 

But our hopes were dashed when we found out that the cost of running electricity to the 11 acre property was "astronomical" putting it squarely out of our reach...

 

Sad.  De-railed.  Not sure of our next steps... It is when fear took hold and was, oh, so very hard to shake. 

 

Just what did we think we were doing?  Maybe, possibly, we had mis-judged?  Time to re-group and get torn rotator cuffs repaired...

 

God graciously re-filled our cups and the dream flared bright... with recuperation of torn tendons came hours to spend pouring over maps and listings.  We drove endlessly, enjoying the advent of spring and countless stops at small town Dairy Queens for Blizzard breaks... 

 

And we kept coming back to our 11 acre paradise to see if anyone else had bought it. We were like crazy, land stalker people... smile...

 

We just couldn't shake it.  Nothing else we saw could compare... And I think maybe God had a plan.

 

He just had to convince us to trust Him.

 

Amazingly enough, the 11 acres remained on the market despite a lot of activity. 

 

And so... Last month we made an offer.  A low offer.  And held our breath. 

 

It felt a bit like we were standing on the edge of the high dive... scared, nervous, excited... How many times did we ask, "God, are you sure?" 

 

He was sure.

 

The offer was accepted without even a counter...

 

 

It's Ours!

 

 

 

Back at home, down tree-lined dirt roads...

 

 

 

Quiet walks under the sun dappled oak canopy...

 

 

 

Meandering Brushy Creek borders the property, just begging

the kayakers and fishermen to come play...

 

 

 

Wildlife abundant...

 

 

 

The banks of beautiful Lake Texoma bordering our southern boundary...

 

We closed on the property this past week and are still pinching ourselves.  Truly?  Ours?  Thanksgiving pouring freely...

 

Silly grins on our faces, pouring over log cabin designs and planning future family gatherings...

 

Oh, and the electric?  Still don't have it.  Yep...  And water?  Not that either... We took the plunge off that high dive with abandon.

 

Seems that this farmer family doesn't do easy...

 

We do Adventure.

We do Glorious.

We do Crazy very, very well...

 

But, oh, the joy it brings to our very souls.

 

 

 

Throwing Gratitude Heavenward for all Good Gifts.

Trusting the Gift-Giver for each step of the Journey ahead...

 

Giddy with Grace,

           Jane  

 

 

Death Begets Life...

 

May He bring Beauty from the depths of our Darkest Pain...

"Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new."

                                II Corinthians 5:17

Pancreatic Cancer Call to Action!

Throughout the past few years on this blog and website, I have heard from family members who are struggling to walk out this journey with their loved ones.  It is heart-wrenching to know that pancreatic cancer is still devastating lives today.  We feel weak and impotent against the ravages of this disease.  We would give anything to escape the heartache, but are helpless to stem the relentless advances of this vicious cancer.  Many ask what can be done...  Where is a better treatment?  When will there be a cure?  How do we survive this?

Today you can take a small step and begin to fight back.

Today you can let pancreatic cancer know its days are numbered.

Today is the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network National Call-In Day 2014.

Let your voice be heard.  There must be an increase in funding for medical research to fight this deadly cancer.  We are the voice of our loved ones.  While they are in the trenches using antiquated treatments, struggling hard against the odds, we must give voice to the fight.

When mom passed away, she was being given the same treatment used 20 years ago for pancreatic cancer.  20 years ago.  That is ancient medicine in today's technology driven world.  We need that break-through.  And one way to get it is to increase the support and funding for medical research.

There is a cure.  It is not too late for those in the fight.

I spent about 10 minutes this morning placing calls to my Congressmen in Texas.  Sharing our heart on this subject is vital.  Our Senators and Representative need to hear from families that are going thru this struggle.  They need to know it's personal, it's our heartbeat, it's our loved ones...

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network makes it easy to find your representatives.  Just click here to access your state's listings... Then make a short phone call...

Here are some easy Talking Points if you're not sure what to say when you call...

1)	Hello, my name is [FIRST] [LAST]. I am from [YOUR CITY & STATE] and am calling to support the nearly 500 Pancreatic Cancer Action Network volunteers who are on Capitol Hill today, June 17th.
2)	I'm calling to urge Senator [LAST NAME OF SENATOR] to support at least $5.26 billion in funding for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in FY15.
3)	I also ask that the senator support the inclusion of pancreatic cancer in the Department of Defense's Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP), and to ensure that the program receives at least $25 million in funding as it did last year.
4)	Finally, I want to urge the senator to show his/her support for these issues by joining the new Congressional Caucus on Deadliest Cancers chaired by Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Leonard Lance (R-NJ). Membership is open to both Senators and Representatives.
5)	You can learn more about this new caucus and the growing threat of deadly cancers like pancreatic cancer at a congressional lunch briefing this Thursday, June 19th at 12:00 noon in the Rayburn Office Building (Room 2218). I urge you and your health staff to attend.
6)	Please deliver my message to the senator. Thank you very much for your time.

To be honest, you don't need to use any of the talking points.  Just tell your story.  Share your fight.  Let them know this is so very, very personal... It's a small step in the journey, but can have profound long-reaching significance. 

Walking this Journey together... Graced to Fight alongside each and every one of you...

My Love,
            Jane

Happy Father's Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Father's Day Dad!

 

 

Love you to the Moon and back!

                                          Yours Always, Jane